Facial masks for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes



B. BECKER April 12, 1955 FACIAL MASKS FOR COSMETIC AND THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES Filed March 17, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

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III llllllll Ill United States Patent FACIAL MASKS FOR COSNIETIC AND THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES Benjamin Becker, St. Louis, MO.

Application March 17, 1954, Serial No. 416,822

11 Claims. (Cl. 128-163) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in facial masks for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.

t is frequently desirable and sometimes therapeutically necessary to apply either cold or hot compresses to the face. For example, a man in shaving can very effectively soften the beard by applying hot compresses to the hirsute areas of his face for a short period of time prior to applying lather. Many ladies, having congested skin and sagging facial muscles, can correct these conditions by the application of cold compresses which will stimulate, tighten, and invigorate the facial tissue and muscles. Many people, both men and women, frequently douse copious quantities of cold water upon their faces as a part of morning ablutions for its stimulating and awakening effect. Finally, many people at the suggestion of a physician will apply either hot or cold compresses to the face, cheeks and forehead to alleviate headaches, sinus congestion, and other similar ailments. For instance, very excelient relief of sinus congestion can frequently be obtained by the continued application of hot compresses over the entire face and particularly around the cheek bones and frontal portions of the forehead.

It has hitherto been necessary, in applying hot and cold compresses to the face, to use cloths or towels which are soaked in either hot or cold water, as the case may be. If the cloths are wrung out thoroughly before being applied to the face the amount of heat or cold which can be obtained from a nearly dry compress is relatively small and of short duration. On the other hand, if a substantial amount of water is allowed to remain in the cloth so that the temperature effect thereof is prolonged, then the water tends to drip, splash and dribble with attendant inconvenience to the user.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present 1nvention to provide a facial mask for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes which is simple and economical in construction and of substantially universal size or proportions so as to be capable of fitting practically any adult face.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a facial mask of the type stated which can be used in the manner of a compress for the application of water, either hot or cold, to the entire face without dripping or splashing water upon the adjacent areas of the users body or upon the users clothing.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a facial mask of the type stated which can be used in the manner of a compress for applying hot and cold water to the face and is capable of maintaining a desired temperature over relatively long periods of time as compared with the duration of effectiveness of conventional types of compresses.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a facial mask of the type stated which can be very simply and conveniently filled with either hot or cold water, as may be desired, and after use will drain and dry out very quickly and in a completely sanitary manner.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently decribed and pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings (one sheet)- Figure l is a perspective view of a facial mask constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention as applied to the face of a user;

Figure 2 is a front plan view of the facial mask;

2,705,952 Patented Apr. 12, 1955 Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a facial mask comprising a back or face-contacting panel 1 formed of a water-pervious fabric, such as flannelette. The back panel 1 has a straight top margin 2 and arcuate side margins 3, 3', which are stitched to marginal lengths of tape 1, I, so that the bias edges will not stretch in later sewing. The margins 3, 3', are then hemmed by lines of stitches s and then folded forwardly around, and finally stitched by a line of stitches s to, companion-shaped side margins 4, 4', respectively, of a front panel 5 formed preferably of water-impervious material, such as vinyl plastic sheeting or the like. Along its top margin, the front panel 5 is provided with a tubular hem enclosing a piece of cording c, which serves to reinforce this edge and give it some rigidity. The front panel 5 is wider in the horizontal direction than the back panel 1 and is" stitched thereto for a short distance centrally of the top margin by a line of stitches 6 so as to provide forwardly curving openings 7, Secured to the back panel 1 by a line of stitches 8 and positioned in the forehead area beneath the line of stitches 6 is a thin sponge pad 9. The panels 1 and 5 are further provided with registering rectangular eye openings 10, 10', and a nose opening 11 stitched together by straight lines of stitches 12 12* 12, and superimposed lines of zigzag stitching 13 13 13. This multiple stitch arrangement prevents the material from raveling and provides a substantially leak-proof seam through which water will not spurt or drip, all as best seen in Figure 2.

At their lower margins, the front and back panels 5 and 1 are provided with a V-shaped central gore which is brought together and stitched by a line of stitches 14 to form a seam 15 which draws the bottom portion of the facial mask A into a chin-accommodating cup or pocket 16. The seam 15 terminates inwardly from the bottom margin of the facial mask A, leaving a rearwardly presented V-shaped notch 17 for fitting around the wearers neck in the region of the projection formed by the thyroid cartilage. The front panel 5 is, furthermore, somewhat larger than the back panel 1 in the region of the chinaccommodating pocket 17 so that when the facial mask A is fully assembled it will bulge forwardly in the formation of a pouch-like space 18, as best seen in Figure 4.

In use the user merely holds the facial mask A in upright vertical position with the bulging or forwardly curving openings 7, 7' beneath a water faucet thereby allowing either hot or cold water, as may be desired, to flow into the space between the back panel 1 and the front panel 5 substantially filling this space with water. The flannelette back panel 1 will very quickly become saturated and the excess water will drain outwardly and downwardly. However, an appreciable quantity of hot or cold water will be entrapped and held in the pouchlike space 18. The water faucet may thereupon be turned off and the facial mask A allowed to drain for a minute or two so that any excess water will drip off. Thereupon the facial mask A will no longer drip or splash water on the person of the user unless accidentally dropped or inverted, but will retain the water for use in application to the users face. When the facial mask A has been properly filled with water and any slight excess of water has dripped away, it can be applied to the face substantially in the manner shown in Figure 1. Since the flannelette back panel 1 is in contact with the residual supply of water within the pouch-like space 18 it will act as a wick and continue to draw water up into contact with substantially the entire area of the users face so as to maintain the temperature effect of the compress over a relatively long period of time. If desired, the user may, from time to time, press his hands inwardly and upwardly against his chin, thereby forcing the residual supply of water retained in the pouch-like space 18 to fiow' upwardly and more thoroughly saturate the upper portions of the flannelette back panel 1, as the latter may tend to dry out. By this means the temperature effect can be intensified or prolonged, depending upon the needs and desires of the user. It should be noted that the sponge pad 9 is also saturated with water and, by application of slight pressure, can be caused to release liquid which then fiows down over the users face to merge with the residual supply of water in the pouchlike space 18. Similarly, when the residual supply of water is forced upwardly by manual pressure, it is possible to re-soak the sponge pad 9 so that water can again be caused to trickle down again over the users face.

After a certain length of time the water will change temperature sufficiently so that the facial mask is no longer as effective as may be desired. Actually, the effect of the facial mask A is of such long duration that the user probably will have obtained sufiicient efiect therefrom on a single filling. However, if further treatment is desired it is, of course, possible to invert the facial mask A over a wash basin or other suitable utensil to drain out the water, whereupon the facial mask A may be refilled and reapplied to the face. When use is discontinued, the facial mask can be inverted and emptied and hung up in any suitable manner after which the air will circulate rather freely in the space between the back panel 1 and front panel 5 so that the facial mask A will dry and air out very quickly in a complete and sanitary manner.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the facial mask for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouchlike space therebetween for receiving water.

2. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-absorbent back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water.

3. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, said panels being provided with registering apertures in the formation of eye-holes and a nose-hole and being secured together around the peripheral margins of said apertures.

4. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouchlike space therebetween for receiving water, said panels being provided with registering apertures in the formation of eye-holes and a nose-hole and being secured together around the peripheral margins of said apertures in a substantially leak-proof seam.

5. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouchlike space therebetween for receiving water, said panels being provided with registering apertures in the formation of eye-holes and a nose-hole and being secured together panel around the peripheral margins of said apertures in a substantially leak-proof seam by double lines of stitches.

6. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouchlike space therebetween for receiving water, said panels being provided with registering apertures in the formation of eye-holes and a nose-hole and being secured together around the peripheral margins of said apertures in a substantially leak-proof seam by double lines of stitches, one of said lines of stitches being straight and the other being zig-zag.

7. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, said front and back panels being drawn together at the bottom to form a chin-receiving pouch.

8. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, said front and back panels being drawn together at the bottom to form a chin-receiving pouch and being relatively loose with respect to each other in the region of the chinreceiving pouch to provide a space in which water may accumulate.

9. A facial mask comprising a watenimpervious front and a Water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, and a sponge-like member secured between said panels in the region of the forehead.

10. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel and a water-pervious back panel marginally stitched together in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, said front and back panels being drawn together at the bottom to form a chin-receiving pouch and being relatively loose with respect to each other in the region of the chin receiving pouch to provide a space in which water may accumulate, and a sponge-like member secured between said panels in the region of the forehead.

11. A facial mask comprising a water-impervious front panel. and a water-pervious back panel having narrow lengths of tape stitched along its bias-cut edges to prevent stretching, said back panel with the tape stitched thereto being, in turn, marginally stitched to the front panel to provide a two-ply structure having peripheral outlines in general conformity to the peripheral outlines of the human face and being separated across their respective top margins so as to define a somewhat pouch-like space therebetween for receiving water, said front and back panels being drawn together at the bottom to form a chin-receiving pouch and being relatively loose with respect to each other in the region of the chin-receiving pouch to provide a space in which water may accumulate, and a sponge-like member secured between said panels in the region of the forehead.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,013,079 Smith Dec. 26, 1911 1,965,424 Mascole July 3, 1934 2,635,605 Becker Apr. 21, 1953 

